Coin controlled self-service or vending mechanism



Feb. 2, 1932. E. B. STEVERSON COIN CONTROLLED SELF SERVICE OR VENDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 5, 1929 Feb. 2, 1932. E. B. STEVERSON 1,843,907

COIN CONTROLLED SELF SERVICE OR' VENDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. Sin 2119012.

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 ,UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE;

moon 3. srEvERsoN, or ron'rsiuonrn, .vInGmIA COIN CONTROLLED SELF-SERVICE R VENDING MECHANISM Application filed October 3,

This invention relates to a coin controlled or self-service vending mechanism.-

It is'aimed to provide a novel construction which may utilize as many containers or vending compartments as desired and .may also permit the same to be of transparent material and readily observable to determine their contents.

Another object is'to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive coin controlled means particularly one involving a balanced locking means adapted to be over-balanced and moved to releasing position upon reception of the proper coin.

A further object is to provide a'construction wherein the balancing means cannot be operated upon the deposit of a coin smaller than that required for operation.

Various additionalobjects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description'following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings 2 Figure 1 is a plan view of the device,

Figure 2 is a front elevation,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4: is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, designates a suitable cabinet or casing. which may be made of wood, metal or any other preferred material and also in any desired shape,

or size.

Suitably mounted in the casing or cabinet 10 are one or any desired number of containers 11 which are preferably of transparent glass, and for instance an ordinary drinking glass. The top wall 12 of the cabinet has an opening 13 in line with each of the containers 11 and the lower edge portions of such opening 13 are rabbeted at 1 1 whereby the upper edge of the glass is received and seated. The glasses are held in place by U-shapedsupporting brackets 15, which are fastened as at 16 to the top wall of the cabinet;

Within the containers or glasses 11, goods 1929. Serial No. 397,102.

to be vended may be placed. The samemay be poured directly into the glasses or they maybe contained in'bags deposited in'the glasses. Such containers 11 are adapted to be normally closed by plates or closures 17 capable of springing horizontally on. pivots aiforded'by rivets 18 fastened to the top wall 12. I 7

Normally the closures 17 cannot bemoved from the closed position shown in the drawings because a locking pin member 19 is extended through an opening 20 in the top wall 12 and thence into a recess21 in theolosure 17.

i The locking member 19 is carried by a control lever 22 which is pivoted at 23 on a horizontal axis to a bracket 24 depending from 3 the wall 12. In the position shownin' full lines n the drawings, the lever 22 isbalanced and hencein its balanced or normal gcon'ditipn maintains the locking'member 19'e'levat- The lever 22 has a depressed or receptacle portion 25 adapted to receivea coin depos 'ited by a customer through the coin slot 26 formed in the top wall 12 and surrounded by a plate 27 on the'exterior of the'wall'12.:, A

the wall 12' inline with eachslot' 26, soas to direct the coin intothe receptacles vor bowls25. I W

29 designates a hood secured over each of the coin slots 26 to V5 protect the interiorof .26 and having a top wall 32 that is inclined upwardly and rearwardly of the cabinet. or casing. Theside wall 30 extends rearwardly further than sidewall 31and is provided with a lugor projection 33 extending laterchute 28 is fastened to the under surface of ally thereoftowards the plane of wall 31', 7

said lug or projection preventinginsertion of a stick or other object through slot 26' as hereinbeforestated. V 1 V I V Inmsertmg a com in. the machine the cuslocking position.

tomer places the coin against the outer side of wall 31 and pressing it against the wall slides it rearwardly. When the coin is moved off of wall 81 lug or projection 33 will engage it and pressure of the finger will direct the front edge of the coin against Wall and it may then be directed between walls 30 and 31 and into slot 26.

When the proper coin has been deposited, it will be retained by the bowl 25 which will overbalance it, moving the same todotted line position shown in Figure 3 thereby lowering or retracting the locking pin member 19 from notch 21, and releasing the closure 17 so that it may be swung laterally to uncover the receptacle 11 and permit removal of the contents.

It is obvious that the machine may be made to operate on the deposit of any desired coin. It will be noted that the receptacle or bowl 25 has an elongated slot at 34:- Such slot is provided so that a coin smaller than that required to operate the device will pass through the same into the interior of the cabinet, without operating or overbalancing the lever 25.

It will be understood that one of the coin control devices is associated with each of the containers.

In arranging the devices it is apparent that any number of containers and coin con trolled mechanisms may be arranged in each cabinet or casings 10, and furthermore thatany number of cabinets or casings .10 may be included in astand and that they may be arranged in any desired relation, such for instance as step-form, in spaced vertical relation, or otherwise. 1

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. v V

I. claim as my invention V r 1. In combination with a vending machine, a closure therefor, a lever, locking means for the closure controlled by the: lever. and normally urged to locking position, the closure being swingable in a plane which is perpendicular to the normal position of the locking' means, said lever being arranged for engagement by a coin to retract the locking means, and the lever having a receptacle por tion to receive the coin, and the engagement of the locking means with the closure limiting the movement of the lever to normal or 2. In combination with a vending machine,

a manually operable closure therefor, a lever,-

.the lever to normal or closing position, the

closure being swingable in a plane which is perpendicular tothe normal position of the locking means, said lever being arranged for engagement by a coin to retract the looking means, and the'lever having a slot therethrough for the escape of improper coins.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ENOCH B. STEVERSON. 

